Mentored Field Experience
Learn beyond the classroom. Research in the field.
The Mentored Field Experience (MFE) is one of the distinctive opportunities of Stetson’s Latin American and Latinx Studies program. Each year, a small group of students works closely with a faculty mentor to prepare for and carry out an intensive, faculty-guided research experience in Latin America, the Caribbean, or another region connected to the program.
The MFE is more than a study-abroad trip. Students begin their work on campus, developing the historical, cultural, political, and disciplinary background they need to understand the place they will visit. With guidance from their faculty mentor, students develop individual or collaborative research projects and prepare to pursue questions in the field. During the MFE, they put that preparation into practice through observation, interviews, archival or community-based research, and other forms of fieldwork appropriate to their projects.
Recent MFE destinations have included Puebla, Mexico; San Juan, Puerto Rico; and San José, Costa Rica. Previous Stetson MFEs have taken students to locations across Mexico, Central and South America, and the Caribbean. The destination and research focus change from year to year, allowing each experience to grow from the faculty mentor’s expertise and the interests of the participating students.
From preparation to fieldwork
The MFE connects several stages of learning:
Prepare. Students study the history, culture, politics, and social contexts of the place they will visit and work with their faculty mentor to develop a research project.
Go into the field. Students travel with their faculty mentor and pursue their research while engaging with the places, institutions, communities, and questions that shape their projects.
Reflect and share. Students return to Stetson with new research material and experiences to analyze. The experience culminates in reflection, evaluation, and opportunities to share their work with the Stetson community.
This structure allows students to move between classroom learning and field-based research rather than treating travel as separate from their academic work.
A small-group experience
Because the MFE is designed around close faculty mentorship, students work in a small group and receive sustained guidance throughout the experience. The program gives students the opportunity to develop research questions, make connections across disciplines, and encounter the complexities of a place they have studied from a different perspective.
The experience can be especially valuable for students who are interested in research, graduate or professional study, community engagement, education, international work, or simply want to develop a deeper understanding of Latin America and the Caribbean through sustained academic engagement.
An opportunity rooted in LALS
The MFE reflects what makes Latin American and Latinx Studies distinctive at Stetson: the opportunity to bring different academic perspectives into conversation with places and communities beyond the classroom.
Students do not need to arrive with a single research interest or career goal. The questions they pursue can emerge from their major, their LALS coursework, their faculty mentor's expertise, or their own developing interests. What matters is the opportunity to approach a place thoughtfully, conduct meaningful research, and connect that experience back to the broader questions of Latin American and Latinx Studies.
The Mentored Field Experience has been part of Stetson's Latin American and Latino Studies program since 1995, when it was created around a model of faculty-guided undergraduate research in Latin America.
Recent MFE Destinations
Puebla, Mexico
Students explored questions connected to Mexican history, culture, identity, and community while developing and carrying out faculty-guided research projects.
San Juan, Puerto Rico
Students engaged with Puerto Rico's linguistic, cultural, educational, and social landscapes while pursuing research shaped by their academic interests.
San José, Costa Rica
Students have pursued research connected to sustainability and environmental practices, working with faculty to develop projects before conducting fieldwork in Costa Rica.
Interested in an MFE?
Mentored Field Experiences are competitive, and each experience has its own faculty mentor, research focus, destination, and application process. Students interested in participating should watch for announcements from Latin American and Latinx Studies and WORLD and speak with LALS faculty about upcoming opportunities.